2+ week, 5+ day ago (617+ words) Opinion journalists of The Times-Picayune and The Advocate received awards from a national journalism trade association for their editorial writing and commentary on rural Louisiana, vaccines and women's health care." America's Newspapers, a group made up of about 1,500 newspaper and associate members, honored the three journalists with awards in the 2025 Carmage Walls Commentary Prize competition. Among papers with over 35,000 circulation, columnist Faimon Roberts received a first-place award and editorial director Stephanie Grace received third place honors in the columns category. In the editorial category, Arnessa Garrett, deputy editor for opinion, received a second-place Carmage Walls prize, which is named after the longtime leader of Southern Newspapers known for his promotion of courageous editorial journalism. Roberts' award-winning columns included coverage of failing drinking water systems, a mysterious grave market and a small town sex scandal. In each column, Roberts looked beyond…...

4+ week, 11+ hour ago (418+ words) The following appointments, promotions and new hires at south Louisiana businesses and nonprofits have been announced in recent weeks. Ursula White, an associate professor at LSU's Pennington Biomedical Research Center, has been elected as secretary/treasurer of The Obesity Society. White,who will formally start in the new role in January, isthe director of the Adiposity, Lifestyle and Metabolic Health Lab. Dale Revelle, a lifelong shipping professional, was sworn in this month to a five-year term as a commissioner for the Port of New Orleans. Gov. Jeff Landry appointed him as one of four representatives from Orleans Parish on the seven-member board. The longtime chief of Revelle Shipping Agency and current president of DSR Properties will also serve on the board of the New Orleans Public Belt. Louis "Jeff" Williams, a New Orleans native, was appointed as regional director of…...

6+ day, 8+ hour ago (75+ words) In October, the Ascension Republican Women welcomed Ascension Parish Sheriff Robert "Bobby" Webre as the keynote speaker at the October Ascension GOP Roundtable. Gathering Oct. 23 at the Ascension Republican Women, from left, are Samantha Cartwright, Bonnita Matsuda, Spencer Evans, Sheriff Bobby Webre, Pam Alonso, Tisha Lathan, Joyce LaCour and Jennifer DeFrances. In October, the Ascension Republican Women welcomed Ascension Parish Sheriff Robert "Bobby" Webre as the keynote speaker at the October Ascension GOP Roundtable....

3+ week, 11+ hour ago (616+ words) The following new promotions and new hires have recently been announced by south Louisiana businesses and nonprofits. Annette Vaccaro, chief financial officer of Community Coffee, announced she plans to retire in June. Vaccaro joined the company in 1998 and has been its CFO since 2004." Tim Hardy,"chair of the board of supervisors for the Louisiana Community and Technical College System, has been elected secretary-treasurer of board of directors of the Association of Community College Trustees. Hardy, who has served on the LCTCS board since 2011, will join the ACCT Executive Committee. Caroline Causin, at left, and"Rhett Vaughn Tyler Gray was named inaugural director of energy innovation for the LSU Energy Institute. Gray most recently served as secretary of the Louisiana Department of Conservation and Energy under Gov. Jeff Landry. The Energy Institute brings together the Center for Energy Studies, Louisiana Geological…...

1+ week, 4+ day ago (167+ words) Sen. Bill Cassidy needs to stand up against the suppression of free speech and against President Donald Trump's manipulators, including his loyal supporters, who are playing this sick president into pronouncements, threats and intimidations, promoting authoritarianism, fascism and even Naziism. He is our senator, and the only real voice we have in Louisiana. Sen. Bill Cassidy needs to stand up against the suppression of free speech and against President Donald Trump's manipulators, including his loyal supporters, who are playing this sick president into pronouncements, threats and intimidations, promoting authoritarianism, fascism and even Naziism. He is our senator, and the only real voice we have in Louisiana. We pray that he may have the strength to stand up for the ideals and values that we as Americans enjoy. We fully recognize Trump and his minion, Gov. Jeff Landry, are trying to…...

4+ day, 21+ min ago (421+ words) A U.S. Coast Guard crew was deployed Nov. 25, 2025 in search of a small Cessna plane that went missing near New Orleans Lakefront Airport the prior evening. The search for two missing people following this week's plane crash in Lake Pontchartrain was suspended on Wednesday after around 45 hours of scouring the area, the Coast Guard announced. The Cessna Skyhawk lost contact with air traffic controllers on Monday night about four miles north of New Orleans Lakefront Airport. Crews later found apparent debris and discoloration on the water, and the two young pilots aboard at the time have been presumed dead. The Coast Guard said Wednesday search crews had covered more than 770 square miles by air and water prior to deciding to suspend the search. "Our hearts go out to the families and loved ones impacted by this tragic situation," said Cmdr. Michael…...

6+ day, 15+ hour ago (103+ words) A Louisiana law that took effect Jan. 1 requires public schools and colleges to post the Ten Commandments in every classroom. A group of public school families challenged the law in court. This is in response to a Florida school board recently denying of the First Amendment to our Constitution. If a teacher were to display a poster in a classroom that says, "Thou shalt not steal," they would feel the full weight of the state come down upon them. If, however, they were instead to display a poster that said, "Don't steal," no problem. The difference is the very definition of freedom....

1+ week, 3+ day ago (213+ words) I attended the recent No Kings rally with the expectation of standing in solidarity against authoritarianism, unchecked power and systemic injustice. What I did not expect " nor condone " was the appropriation of that space for a message that has long been associated with the erasure of Jewish identity and history. I attended the recent No Kings rally with the expectation of standing in solidarity against authoritarianism, unchecked power and systemic injustice. What I did not expect " nor condone " was the appropriation of that space for a message that has long been associated with the erasure of Jewish identity and history. Let me be clear: This is not what we came for. We did not gather to be complicit in a message that, whether through ignorance or intent, echoes antisemitic tropes. And to fail to name it as such " to let…...

2+ week, 5+ day ago (537+ words) Members of the Attorney General's Outreach Team Courtney Mounce, standing left, and Alli McGuinness, standing right, along with LSU gymnast Courtney Blacksmith, present information on the dangers and costs of vaping to sixth graders at Denham Springs Junior High School. Two LSU student-athletes recently joined members of the Louisiana Attorney General's Office to point out the dangers of vaping to sixth graders at Denham Springs Junior High. Attorney General Liz Murrill's outreach team presented the students with visual displays and take-home handouts providing facts about the dangers and costs of vaping, a news release said. They shared research that shows vaping is highly addictive and can damage the lungs and proper brain development of youth. LSU baseball player Eddie Yamin shares information about the advertising strategies of vaping companies to target youth with sixth graders at Denham Springs Junior High…...

2+ week, 3+ day ago (729+ words) In a high-profile test of Louisiana's efforts to stop the spread of deepfakes, the boy was'charged with 10 counts of disseminating explicit images of another person created by artificial intelligence, the Lafourche Parish Sheriff's Office said Monday. More students could still be charged. In response to the alleged assault, the school district expelled the girl from campus for at least 45 days. Her family appealed the expulsion and requested a public hearing, which the school board conducted during its meeting last week. After the emotional hearing, which was first reported by The Houma Courier, the board allowed the girl to immediately return to campus on probationary status. The 13-year-old returned to class Monday after being kept off campus for over two months, her lawyers said. "This girl was abused," said Gregory Miller, one of the family's attorneys, noting that she endured sexual…...